| Simple VIS tutorial for the curious [message #-995805] |
Thu, 25 July 2002 01:18  |
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There's already a VIS tutorial on the forums, but here is where I expand on it a little.
Basically, open up the hourglass gmax scene that was included with the mod tools. Go to the select by name thingy and you should see a group called VIS - select that, hide unselected, and ungroup the VIS group. You'll see that basically each POLYGON on the map has been cloned - these are VIS sectors, essentially any mesh (preferably hidden) that has the VIS collision option on w3d settings. However, these polygons were chosen because these are places where the CAMERA (ie, infantry, vehicles, aircraft) can move to. I think you should be able to figure things out from this - you'll have to mimic the VIS setup on the hourglass gmax scene on your map.
Now, in the case of aircraft, you must have several layers of VIS sectors, separated by 10 meters on the Z axis (this is directly affected by the VIS sample height in the auto-generate VIS, but use 10 - it's the default). This is where things could get laggy! (gmax only - map would take a bit longer to load in level edit but no FPS lag) Understand me so far? I hope so ![[Smile]](smile.gif) .
Now, generating VIS should be the final stage in making your map. First, as the map setup do***ent included with the mod tools stated, Discard VIS data (under the VIS menu), Repartition Culling systems (under the Edit menu), Build Dynamic culling system (under VIS menu; you'll need to have human pathfind generators on your map, preferably with the pathsolve sectors already generated), Auto-generate VIS (VIS menu; this is the longest part of the process!), and place manual VIS points.
In the Auto-generate dialog, you should set the granularity to 5 - it's what I use, although it may take a LOOOOOONG time, but this should definitely save you time on the manual VIS point part. Once this part is finished, enter walkthrough mode and walk through your map, looking for VIS glitches - places where items on the map disappear when they shouldn't. When you find one, while looking at the invisible object, hit Ctrl + ~ (the key above the TAB key right by the 1 key) and the object should appear into view. If you get a "backface leak overflow rejected" error, bring up the VIS window and look for items in green - these are backfaces and you'll have to do something about that backface in gmax in order to get rid of the VIS glitch in that area - hopefully you won't run into too many of these. Common places for manual vis points are the doors of the buildings, tunnel entrances, etc.
BTW, after generating VIS data, if you close level edit and decide you need to make more changes, repartition the culling systems before you export the second time you edit and that will save you a lot of time instead of having to re-generate VIS data all over again! If you don't do this, the VIS data will be counter-productive and actually slow FPS during crunch times.
If you have anymore questions let me know.
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| Simple VIS tutorial for the curious [message #-995804] |
Thu, 25 July 2002 01:23  |
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Oh, and why would you want to do this? Because it can vastly improve the performance online. I've had a theory and tested it out with Paradox Harbor and I found a lot of data that supported my theory - VIS data somehow allows the map to run smoothly on the FDS without crashing - plus people's FPS get a boost. VIS data really helps out larger maps, but I would recommend people do this for their map no matter what the size.
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| Simple VIS tutorial for the curious [message #-995798] |
Sun, 04 August 2002 01:31 |
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quote:
Originally posted by YSLMuffins:
... enter walkthrough mode and walk through your map, looking for VIS glitches - places where items on the map disappear when they shouldn't. When you find one, while looking at the invisible object, hit Ctrl + ~ (the key above the TAB key right by the 1 key) and the object should appear into view. ... Common places for manual vis points are the doors of the buildings, tunnel entrances, etc.
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| Simple VIS tutorial for the curious [message #-995797] |
Sun, 04 August 2002 07:55 |
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quote:
Originally posted by YSLMuffins:
Now, in the case of aircraft, you must have several layers of VIS sectors, separated by 10 meters on the Z axis (this is directly affected by the VIS sample height in the auto-generate VIS, but use 10 - it's the default)...
So I'd make layers like:
code:
____ /^\ ____
___ / \ ___ } 10 M
___/ \___
If that was a hill?
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| Simple VIS tutorial for the curious [message #-995790] |
Sat, 10 August 2002 11:02 |
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I'm not sure what you mean, but you only need to place manual VIS points if something is invisible when it shouldn't be. For example, as you're walking along you see something flash from visible to invisible and back to visible. A manual VIS point is basically a resampling of a VIS sector when the auto generate VIS missed a few things.
Remember, you don't place manual VIS points via the Preset pane, you place them by pressing
code:
ctrl + ~
(a common error).
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| Simple VIS tutorial for the curious [message #-995789] |
Sat, 10 August 2002 11:53 |
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I would love to do this, except I get a lot of areas on the map where it says that there isn't a VIS sector or a VIS sector isn't defined and I can clearly see visibility issues, which will never get fixed. Even next to a structure where you can see through it, it will say that. I say screw VIS until that is fixed... That and the VIS camera doesn't do anything for me, I just see a grey window with nothing in it.
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| Simple VIS tutorial for the curious [message #-995787] |
Sat, 10 August 2002 12:30 |
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I didn't quite understand what exactly the problem you described, but there isn't anything wrong with VIS - it's just tricky to get it working. The VIS sample is based on where the camera is located, not the actual unit (:-\), which is why you can notice objects flashing in and out of visibility as you stand in place but move the mouse around. The auto generate vis is not perfect and that is why we have manual vis points.
Let me describe a small example.
http://www.ren egademods.info/users/YSLMuffins/VISExample.JPG
Ok, of course the VIS sectors (shown in green) will not be spaced apart like that, but I'm making it really fast. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif) See, the invisible barrier (blue) blocks the tank (purple) from moving past the cliff, but that is not where the VIS sectors should stop. Since the tank is facing east, the camera (black) has actually moved off the cliff! Therefore, there must be VIS sectors in those locations although the unit cannot actually move there. If not, you will find objects that turn invisible and you will also find that you will get a VIS sample rejected error when facing that direction. So if you are getting "No VIS Sector found", based on where the camera is currently stationed it cannot find a VIS sector, although the unit may actually be standing on the VIS sector.
[ August 10, 2002, 19:34: Message edited by: YSLMuffins ]
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| Simple VIS tutorial for the curious [message #-995786] |
Sat, 10 August 2002 12:33 |
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quote:
Originally posted by Ingrownlip:
Will I see results in Commando or Renegade because there are parts in WW's maps that have some "blinking" faces in Commando.
The WYSIWYG interface in the commando editor is 99\% accurate.
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| Simple VIS tutorial for the curious [message #-995785] |
Sat, 10 August 2002 12:35 |
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quote:
Originally posted by aircraftkiller2001:
I just see a grey window with nothing in it.
You only see something in the VIS window when you generate a manual VIS point while the window is still open.
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| Simple VIS tutorial for the curious [message #-995783] |
Sat, 17 August 2002 00:58 |
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quote:
Originally posted by YSLMuffins:
So if you are getting "No VIS Sector found", based on where the camera is currently stationed it cannot find a VIS sector, although the unit may actually be standing on the VIS sector.
So how do you fix that?
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| Simple VIS tutorial for the curious [message #-995782] |
Sat, 17 August 2002 04:45 |
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quote:
Originally posted by Blazer:
quote:
Originally posted by YSLMuffins:
So if you are getting "No VIS Sector found", based on where the camera is currently stationed it cannot find a VIS sector, although the unit may actually be standing on the VIS sector.
So how do you fix that?
You have to go back in Gmax and add another VIS sector there. The crude diagram I posted should give you the idea.
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, i got that out of the always.dat 
